Traffic Jams Expected When Major Section Of Business 40 Closes

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Traffic engineers are warning the number of vehicles on downtown streets in Winston-Salem could double or triple when a major section of Business 40 is closed for repairs in the next several years.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports the exact date for the project has not been set, but could start between 2016 and 2021. Engineers plan to close the entire highway in downtown for two years to replace bridges and reconstruct interchanges. They say the work would have taken six years otherwise.

Traffic studies show the number of vehicles on one downtown street will likely increase to nearly 20,000 cars when the highway is closed.

Engineers plan to reconfigure some downtown Winston-Salem intersections to help handle the extra traffic.